Can't Always Be Strong
by toofandomobsessed
Summary: A quick thing about Latula, Mituna, and Kankri. Ships: Latula/Mituna, Latula/Kanri


Kankri strode through the pastel forest he was in, looking for someone to preach to. Err, he mean talk to. Without any notice he was walking down a corridor, bleak and grey. It was someone's hive, although he didn't know who's. At the ends of the corridor were corners, most likely going into rooms of some sort. As he continued walking, his padding steps were drowned out by the sound of muffled sobbing. Quietly creeping towards the sound, the light coming from the hanging lamps cast a shadow onto the floor. " _Latula?" _Kankri thought, the thought of the girl he secretly had flushed feeling for crying stopped him in his tracks. He was about to go to her when something stopped him. He knew that the others thought that he was annoying and pretty much a douche, it wasn't like they tried to hide it. What Latula needed was someone close to her, someone that would be able to bring a smile back to her lips and keep her going. Exhaling a small breath, Kankri thought of one of the trolls that he often scolded, one that would be able to do things for her that he couldn't. Closing his eyes and turning around, Kankri silently walked to the other side of the hall. Somehow, dream bubbles always seemed to find the person you needed.

...

"WH47 4R3 _Y0U_ D01NG H3R3 N0W?" Mituna asked Kankri. Just a few dream bubbles ago Kankri had given him a long speech about how to treat others with his condition, and this type of encounter always made Mituna a little more unstable and prone to yell and swear more often. Now he was sitting down on a bench, his helmet under his arm and sweat rolling down his hair.

" Can we put the past aside for 9nce? Speaking 9f which.." Kankri realized what he was doing and quickly stopped himself from making a long speech about their past. " L99k, it's... it's about Latula.." Kankri's voice faded, and looked down at his feet. He wasn't quite used to talking about these things, especially when it concerned himself and the hidden feelings for Latula. Looking back up at Mituna, he realized that Mituna had stopped slouching and was looking at Kankri with a freakishly intense (for Mituna) look.

" Y34H. WH47 480U7 H3R" Mituna looked at Kankri now a little more suspiciously, somewhat knowing of the tensions with Kankri and Latula, it wasn't like their group was very good at keeping secrets. At least from what he could tell.

" I f9und her at the end of the hallway, and... and.. she was cryi-."

" 74K3 M3 70 H3R" Mituna stuttered out before Kankri could finish his sentence. Mituna shoved his helmet and staggering, stood up. He was shaking and his hands were flailing a bit, but he stood right in front of Kankri, trying to look as threatening as he could. Some things he couldn't understand, but when it came to Latula, he could control his mind a bit better than he normally could.

Trying to push away the thought of giving a long lecture on conversations and letting the other person finish, Kankri turned around while lecturing Mituna in his mind. He stepped out of the room where had found Mituna, and turning to silence (as best as he could) Mituna, the sound of crying had gotten louder and could now be heard from the other end of the hall. Mituna gasped and tried to run in front of Kankri to get to her but Kankri pulled him back. Mituna was about to scream ( and in his mind, slap) Kankri but Kankri had gotten a hold of his arms and pulled Mituna close.

"L99k, try n9t t9 make her feel w9rse. Calm. D9wn." Kankri fiercely whispered, his eyebrows pushed together in concentration.

Mituna sagged. Pale yellow tears slid down his helmet and he sank to the floor, whispering something over and over. " 1 F41LED H3R. 1 F41L3D H3R..."

Kankri bent over to talk to Mituna. " Y9u didn't. Right n9w she needs y9u, and y9u need to help her." Kankri tried to swallow his frustration as he lowered his hand for Mituna to take.

Gripping Kankri's hand, Mituna used his other hand to wipe his tears away. " 7H4NK5" Mituna nodded at Kankri, acknowledging him about what he had done.

Kankri nodded back and they went their separate ways.

...

A shadow passed over Latula, and a warm hand touched her shoulder. " L4.. L47UL4?" a shakey voice called to her, causing even more teal tears to fall down her cheek.

" M1tun4? Wh4t 4r3 you do1ng h3r3?" she gasped, her voice barely over a whisper. Her once perfect hair had become knotted, and her clothes were wet and shriveled. She bent her head, hoping the ragged mess that was her hair could shield her face from her matesprit. Latula heard a soft bump next to her and felt a shaking arm reach over her shoulders.

Without answering, Mituna crept closer to Latula, and only when their faces were inches away did he reply with another question. " WH4T'S WR0NG?"

Latula wrapped her arms around her legs and put her head in them. She wanted to say that it was nothing, but it was something. " 1t's just...why? Why d1d 1t h4pp3n to you?" She started to cry even more while speaking and was shaking by the end of the sentence. She had known Mituna for so long, and he was always perfect to her. Even before the incident, he was always nice and protective of her. After... she had to be protective of him. And no matter what, he always had tried his best for her. Now he was bullied, almost an outcast. If only the others could see him the way she did. She acted radical and strong, but after watching Cronus talk to Mituna for a few moments, she felt as if she had been punched in the stomach. She was worn out of millennia of taking car and watching Mituna be unfairly treated, and she was just taking a break from everything. Now, with Mituna next to her, she could almost feel her strength being taken from her.

Mituna caressed her cheek with his available arm, his arms now wrapped around her. " Y0U KN0W 1 L0V3 Y0U" he said, his body shaking with frustration. " 1 L0V3 Y0U 1 L0V3 Y0U 1 L0V3 Y0U".

And Latula whispered back, " 1 lov3 you too".

...

Somewhere in the hive, Kankri curled up in a ball, a single tear dropping onto the floor.


End file.
